Minister says law on women’s protection to be implemented
HYDERABAD: Sindh Minister for Women Development Touqeer Fatima Bhutto has said that the women protection bill passed by the National Assembly will be implemented in letter and spirit and strict monitoring will be put in place to avoid misuse of this bill on the ground of personal enmity.
Speaking at a press conference at Circuit House here on Friday, she said that the government was aware of victimisation of rural women on the pretext of karo-kari and it was taking steps to eliminate the black custom with the support of the society.
She said that the government would not allow anyone to take law in his hands and had decided to lodge FIRs against feudal elements in case of their involvement in Jirgas.
She said that the Sindh Police had been directed to provide relief to women under stress by registering their FIRs.
She said that the women, particularly those belonging to the rural areas, had suffered a lot because of shortcomings in the institutions responsible for their protection.
She said that five Women complaint centres — one each in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Sukkur and Larkana — had been established and were functioning satisfactorily, adding that such centres would be established in other districts of Sindh also. The minister said that the centres would be computerised shortly to ensure efficient deliveries.
She said that the PPP government was giving priority to the development of womenfolk and was providing financial assistance to poor women under the Benazir Bhutto Income Support Programme.
Source: Dawn
Date:11/7/2009